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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26914768">We Started Making Sense Somehow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polaroid_Memoir/pseuds/Polaroid_Memoir'>Polaroid_Memoir</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Partners to Lovers, Pets, Smoking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:47:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,018</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26914768</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polaroid_Memoir/pseuds/Polaroid_Memoir</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An archive of various Gavin/Nines twitter threads I wrote, some from prompts and some that just happened to me, that I realised were all in the same rough continuity so I uploaded and preserved them here ♥</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Rats</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt: Gavin adopts rats</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Gavin. You've been a little off today, is something wrong?" Nines asked him, the closer it had gotten to the end of Gavin's shift the more irritable he's gotten.</p>
<p>"I'm. I'm fine… I just. I'm looking forward to something and I just want the last half hour of this day to be done already," Gavin looked down at his phone as he spoke.</p>
<p>Nines couldn't help but peak over Gavin's shoulder to see on the screen, a page from an animal shelter displaying a pair of rats with a 'reserved' tag over the bottom third of the picture.</p>
<p>"I didn't figure you as a rodent lover, I thought you might resent them given people are all too quick to compare you to one," Nines jibed softly.</p>
<p>"Whatever, it's more insulting to the rats to be honest. They get a bad rap, I think they're…" Gavin trailed off, he closed his phone and jammed it into his pocket.</p>
<p>"They're what?" Nines teased.</p>
<p>"Cute." Gavin admitted, then he resumed typing up his report. A sign the conversation was now over.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Later on in the evening Nines received a message from Gavin, a selfie where he had two rats sitting on his shoulder and the caption, "Meet Sandy + Angel. They ARE cute, I will not be taking any criticism at this time."</p>
<p>Nines laughed and thought to himself that the three of them looked cute together, but he wouldn't tell that to Gavin of course. At least. Not for a few months…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Prompt: First time holding hands</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nines' hand lay softly on the desk across from Gavin, and he'd noticed it. Nines normally kept his hands to himself, neatly folded in his lap.</p><p>So this had to be something right? Gavin maybe emotionally, like, awkward or whatever but he knew how to read his partner.</p><p>Something was up. This was an indication of something, Gavin was sure of it.</p><p>Wordlessly, he reached across the desk and placed his hand on top of Nines', who looked up from his work briefly to smile at Gavin. Only for a few seconds, but that was all the confirmation Gavin needed. He left his hand there as he carried on thumbing through his case file.</p><p>The connection between them remaining through the night, not having to share a single word, but basking in each other's silent adoration.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Apologies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Prompt: Nines denying affection to try and get through to Gavin</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Nines, please," Gavin huffed at Nines as Nines pulled away from a kiss for the third time. He was going to get Gavin acknowledge that he can't treat someone like that and then expect affection as if he hadn't done anything wrong.</p><p>"No. You know what you did, you were an asshole to me in there," Nines stated firmly. It wasn't often Gavin lashed out these days, and the case was a fucking horrific one, but Nines didn't want to let this slide. Gavin had gotten so much better at managing himself over the past few months, it would be too painful to watch him slide back into his old habits now.</p><p>Gavin locked eyes with him, and it was all too easy to see the pain sinking down in those pools of seafoam green.</p><p>"I'm so sorry Nines, I know. I was a fuckin' dick. I have a reason, but I know that doesn't excuse me. I just, fuck- Maybe I'm not cut out for this," Gavin admitted, "Maybe they should get someone more mentally fuckin' resilient," Gavin's hands balled up into fists at his sides.</p><p>"Gavin. I don't think there's anyone who would be unaffected by cruelty displayed on this level."</p><p>"Yeah? Well you seem to be just fuckin' peachy!" Gavin spat.</p><p>"Gavin, you know that's not-"</p><p>"Shit! Shit. I'm so sorry. I just… I-"</p><p>Nines could see the tears sting in his partners eyes.</p><p>"Shh. Come here," Nines pulled Gavin against himself, cradling Gavin's head against his shoulder and dropping a few kisses to the top of his head, "Just let it out, we're alone. There's no one here."</p><p>There was only silent sobs now that caused Gavin's chest to heave, Nines continued to soothe Gavin, running his hand firmly down his back, waiting for Gavin's pent up emotions to ebb out of him.</p><p>"Better?"</p><p>Gavin pulled back and nodded, his eyes red and puffy now as well as wearing the dark sunken tiredness that always came with shit cases like these.</p><p>"Loads. Thank you, I really am sorry."</p><p>"I know. Just don't take it out on the people around you, please," Nines asked.</p><p>Gavin nodded, "Shit, I need to go home I can't- I can't face another minute in the bull pen right now."</p><p>"Then we'll go, we've been on shift for about 18 hours Gavin, we should've already left."</p><p>And here's where the improvement came in, a few months ago Gavin would've spat curses and fought tooth and nail to stay. Now, now he just silently turned to the direction of his flat and started walking, and Nines followed, as he always did.</p><p>As he always would…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Balcony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Smoking on the balcony aesthetics</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gavin was showering, their shift had just ended, or more accurately they'd just been told to go the fuck home by Fowler. Nines had counted it lucky that they'd "only" pulled 13hrs  tonight especially with the case so close to wrapping. </p><p>He was feeling tense and didn't really know what to do about it. Gavin had made it clear he wanted to shower alone so he found himself at a bit of a loose end. Normally, sitting on the sofa and listening to the sound of the shower from the open door to the bathroom calmed him down, but tonight it wasn't really doing the trick. His gaze drifted across the coffee table, Gavin's cigarettes caught his eye. </p><p>Well, it wouldn't be exactly the same but, perhaps it'd work. He'd actually have to think about simulating his breathing. (He normally wouldn't bother to at all, he simply shut the function off). </p><p>He picked up the pack and Gavin's lighter and pulled himself up to stand. </p><p>He knew, as Gavin knew, that technically one should go downstairs to smoke, but the old take-out coffee cup sitting on the side-table next to the balcony doors told a different story. </p><p>Nines opened the doors, cool night air rushed into the apartment and that in itself was soothing. He pulled out a cigarette from the packet and placed it between his lips. He'd watched Gavin do this so many times before, but he still didn't know what to expect when he lit it. </p><p>He had to concentrate hard to pull the smoke into his intake. At first the rush of different chemicals overwhelmed him— Fuck, there was so much shit in these that humans should not be putting in their bodies— but as he figured out the rhythm of it he started to understand the act. </p><p>He recalled that Gavin had once told him that smoking 'forced him to breathe' which just seemed like an oxymoron but he got it now. Someone like Gavin wasn't really one for pausing to take deep breaths so, as strange as it was this actually made sense. </p><p>Nines lent against the railing and looked out at the city, the only place he'd ever known, and somehow it felt like home though, he wasn't exactly sure why. Just something about the way the other buildings seemed to twinkle in the night. About how if you listened hard you could hear all the noises of the people living there chattering low in the distance, occasionally punctured by a siren or a stray dog's bark. Nines found that to be its own comfort. </p><p>He started to get lost in it, the conscious pull and exhale of the hot smoke into the cool night air, the smell of the city beneath him, the ambient noise of the shower—</p><p>Oh.</p><p>The shower had stopped and Nines smiled, as much as he'd found comfort in this slice of peace, he'd always find it better with Gavin at his side.</p><p>He didn't turn when he heard the sound of Gavin's not-quite-dry feet slapping across the laminate flooring towards the coffee table, he waited for Gavin to ask the obvious question.</p><p>"Fuck! Nines, you seen my smokes?"</p><p>"Here Gavin," Nines twisted his torso and looked at Gavin side on. </p><p>He'd pulled on fleece lined sweatpants and an old red hoodie that has always been a couple sizes too big for him. Wet hair peeking out from under his hood. How the fuck he managed to always be attractive no matter what he wore still remained a mystery to Nines.</p><p>"Shit, you're smokin' too now? I'd tell you not to start but, 'spose it's not bad for <i>you</i> is it?" </p><p>Nines laughed, "It probably is... Inhaling smoke like this on a regular basis will likely cause damage to my components over time. So perhaps I shouldn't make it a habit."</p><p>" 's your body, like fuck I'm in a position to tell you what to do," Gavin replied, smirk on his face as he pulled the pack out of Nines' hand and took a cigarette for himself. </p><p>He was standing so close, the air between them started to feel electric, as it always seemed to whenever they were alone together for a while. It had been almost a year and their sex drives still hadn't seemed to calm down. But at least they had a better handle on it these days. They could wait. There was always later. </p><p>"Lighter?"</p><p>"Here," Nines flicked the flame on raising it up to light Gavin's cigarette for him.</p><p>Gavin let out a huff around the cigarette in his mouth and mumbled, "Aw, what the fuck Nines..." </p><p>He was blushing and Nines couldn't help but smile at Gavin. It was a testament to how far they'd come that Gavin let him do shit like this. Nines knew that Gavin wouldn't even tolerate anyone else doing something this cliché and personal. That Gavin indulged Nines in this, that just meant the world. </p><p>When the cig was finally lit Gavin pulled on it fast and let the breath out slowly, "Thanks."</p><p>"A thank you, why, how gracious of you," Nines mocked.</p><p>"Oh fuck off," Gavin said laughing as he turned to rest his own arms on the balcony and gaze out into the night.</p><p>Nines took up his former position too, the pair of them with their arms pressed against each other, taking in the night air along with the smoke, and stood in an easy silence. </p><p>One of the things Nines enjoyed most about Gavin is that he didn't feel the need to talk. That they could exist quietly together and it was just as meaningful as the time they spent talking. </p><p>As the moment stretched on Gavin eventually lent sideways his head resting against Nines' shoulder. They carried on standing together, silently, Nines enjoying the weight of Gavin's body on his, until their cigarettes had burned down to the filter. </p><p>"Gavin?" </p><p>"Mm?" </p><p>"Shit, are you falling asleep on me?"</p><p>"Oh fuck!" Gavin stood straight up, "Well. Guess I didn't even smoke all of that," Gavin said looking forlorned at his cigarette butt.</p><p>"Bed?"</p><p>Gavin nodded, stepping to the side to toss his spent cig into the paper cup. </p><p>"You go ahead, I'll close up."</p><p>Another nod and Gavin padded through to the bedroom.</p><p>Nines took one more purposeful deep breath in the night air, this time without the smoke and thought maybe he should just try to breathe more often. Of course it didn't do anything, a function designed to make his human counterparts more at ease but like so many things, deviants we're constantly finding new ways to apply their own meanings to their bodies, to reclaim them for themselves.</p><p>He took one last look at the city before discarding his cigarette butt alongside Gavin's in the paper cup and closed up the balcony doors. </p><p>He turned back into the apartment, with its worn couch, frayed rug, and one blinking spotlight over the kitchen sink the landlord still hadn't come to fix and had another realisation.</p><p>The city <i>felt</i> like home.</p><p>But this place.<br/>
With Gavin?</p><p>This was definitely and undoubtedly <i>their</i> home.</p>
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